MacBook Air and new SSD

[woodbine]

a friend had her 2013 MBA SSD replaced by a larger SSD from OWC. This happened just last week. The work was done by a Mac specialist. It worked ok for a week, then suddenly it would not open up. The OS progress bar got so far,then it shut down the MBA. So I opened it in restore mode, checked the SSD for repair and it returned a huge number of directory errors. It will not repair and instructs me to erase, replace OS.
Unfortunately the MBA is in France and the Mac specialist is in the UK.
So probably it will have to wait until this friend gets home. But I'm a curious guy and I'm trying to workout what went wrong.

• Hardware issue. Incorrect installation of SSD. Seems unlikely though.
• The old OS had directory errors which weren't repaired before transfer and the transfer made it worse

If the old SSD was clean and clear, I don't see how the OS install and migration would cause so many errors to happen and break the OS. I've done this many times and never seen anything quite like this.
I also don't have access to disk warrior, so that tool is unavailable.

 

[komatsu]

• , I don't see how the OS install and migration would cause so many errors to happen and break the OS. I've done this many times and never seen anything quite like this.

I also don't have access to disk warrior, so that tool is unavailable.

Errors were probably carried over from either a) old OS b) old settings (Migration Assistant Presents options for both)

This is a common mistake. Start with a clean OS. You really can't beat it. Yes, I know it very convenient to just import everything but from my experience in about 1 out of 15 cases - there will be an underlying problem with the OS which gets carried over.

While Disk Warrior is a really excellent utility - from my experience at least it cannot permanently fix OS X problems like this.

So just backup - then clean install.

 

[DeltaMac]

Hmm... Why then would it work OK for a week, then suddenly fail with lots of directory errors?

Shutdown during boot is more likely because the SSD is simply failing (which also happens, even with brand new parts.)

 

[komatsu]

Hmm... Why then would it work OK for a week, then suddenly fail with lots of directory errors?

This a weird thing I notice about Apple.

With a Windows solution - more often than not, it is either a) fixed or b) not fixed.

OS X can sometime give the illusion of being fixed and then 4-5 days later BAM problem manifests itself again! Don't ask me why...

 

[DeltaMac]

Hmmm... OP didn't have a problem, and apparently was just upgrading to more storage capacity.
So, just a random failure of a new part that can happen in any event.

The failure of that new part would likely have happened in a "Windows solution" as well.
I don't think you can simply attribute that failure to Apple.
(I'm guessing you haven't spent much time in a tech repair shop, either Windows OR Apple )

 

[komatsu]

My gut feeling is that the OP's problem has been carried over from the old OS. His SSD is probably fine. But that's just a hunch.